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  1. BYO. Bringing your own is so much more pleasant than being forced to pay $10 for a box full of preservatives or a greasy burger.

  2. Cold hard cash. Have a spare $20 tucked away in a corner of your wallet. Airlines don’t always take credit cards. They often won’t take foreign currency, either. The man sitting next to me on the flight to Hawaii had connected from an international flight with only a credit card and a pocket full of Euros. I traded some cash for his Euros and he was most grateful.

  3. Yes, we have no bananas.. Stay away from bananas or any other fruit that is easily squished or ripened by enclosed cases. Apples are the perfect travel companions because they contain natural sugars that will quell your hunger pains — and they are natural toothbrushes. Also, you will feel better after eating an apple than you will after wolfing down that Double Whopper.

  4. Go nutty. Trail mix is another great travel companion, and it will last a long time in your suitcase. Most flight attendants I know keep a spare bag with them, as they could go the better part of 12 hours without a meal.

  5. Got milk? If you are hungry but can’t stand junk food, ask for a carton of milk or tomato juice. Either one will get you to your next fuel stop.

  6. Beg, borrow, but don’t steal. If you are stuck on a flight with no cash and you are unbearably hungry, reason with the flight attendants. They are hardly going to let you starve — I know I wouldn’t.

  7. Expect the unexpected. You may have only one connection to make, but if it is through an airport having a thunderstorm, you may be sitting on the taxiway longer than you expected. Plan ahead and have a back-up stash of food.

  8. Dieting and air travel don’t mix. Don’t start a high-nutrition scheme or a weight-loss regime around any type of flight. It is difficult to maintain nutritious values while flying. And, believe it or not, the fatty foods that are readily available in the airport and in the air do serve a purpose: They provide short-term satisfaction and last you a long time.

Purchasing flight food is now a reality of air travel. I was recently on an Iberia flight from Barcelona to London where they weren’t only charging for the food, but also for the drinks. I am talking water, coffee — everything. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that over here, or before long, there will be coin-operated toilets and overhead bins. Forget I said that. I don’t want to give management any ideas.

What are your thoughts on purchasing food for your air travel? I would love to hear your opinions and/or experiences. Just send me an e-mail with “food for thought” in the subject line.

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James Wysong has worked as a flight attendant with two major international carriers during the past fifteen years. He is the author of the "The Plane Truth: Shift Happens at 35,000 Feet" and "The Air Traveler's Survival Guide." For more information about James or his books, please visit his Web site or e-mail him.

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